ShouldBatman V SupermanandJustice Leaguedirector Zack Snyder directThe Batman? Some DC fans sure think so. A new petition was launched today onchange.org, and it’s asking for just that. As you can see, DC fanatic and film enthusiast Jennifer Huneycutt has a perfectly good case for why Snyder should return, despite a majority of fans certainly thinking other wise.
As most probably know already, Ben Affleck stepped down from directingThe Batmanthis past Tuesday. He is staying attached to the project as an executive producer and co-writer. He decided to step away from the director’s chair so that he could fully focus on his performance as Batman. And it has since been revealed thatJustice LeaguewriterChris Terriohas recently turned in a rewrite ofThe Batmanscript.
It’s unclear just how good of a working relationship Zack Snyder and Ben Affleck have at this point.Production startedonJustice Leagueshortly afterBatman V Supermanhit theaters. Midway through the shoot, Ben Affleck was made an executive producer onJustice League, so that he would have more say in what was going on. It was made clear early during production onJustice Leaguethat Zack Snyder was taking somewhat of a backseat, with Geoff Johns becoming more involved as he was named boss of newly established DC Films. So, yeah, some people seem to have a problem with Zack Snyder continuing on as a director in the DCEU, as he has been blamed forDawn of Justice’s faults, and will surely take the blame ifJustice Leagueturns out to be as big of a mess as it is currently rumored to be.
That hasn’t stopped Jennifer Huneycutt from trying to make her case. And she already has 1,440 supporters at the time of this initial story’s publication. Right now she only needs 60 more supports to get to 1,500. Honeycutt says this on the official petition page.
“On Tuesday, we received the news thatBen Affleckhas officially stepped down from directing The Batman. It’s a disappointment, since he’s a fantastic director. While he’s only been behind the lens on a handful of films, they’re pretty much all critical darlings, with a slew of Oscar, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and other nominations and wins. Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo are a few examples of his directing prowess. He was going to bring something really special to the DCEU, and now it’s not going to be quite the same. (However, he is still starring, writing, and producing. It’s this wearing of too many hats that caused him to step down.) So. The film will still have a lot of his influence, which is good news. However, the question now becomes: Who should be in the director’s chair when cameras start rolling on The Batman? To me, the answer is obvious. Zack Snyder.”
Jennifer Huneycutt knows full well she is courting controversy by even mentioning the fact that Zack Snyder shoulddirect The Batman. Let alone launching an entire petition to show support for the guy. Some believe Zack Snyder is fully to blame forBatman V Superman’s major faults. But Jennifer comes out swinging in defense of Snyder. She goes onto say this.
“Pipe down, haters. Hear me out here. Snyder has a stellar record with comic book and graphic novel properties. Starting with 2006’s 300, and followed by Watchmen in 2009, he has shown his skill with, and commitment to, being incredibly faithful to iconic source material. Many scenes in both films are panel-for-panel recreations of the graphic novel pages. He doesn’t attempt to stick his two cents' worth in every movie, putting his own spin on things (they like to call it “artistic license” in the biz) just because he can. He knows how much these stories mean to their fans, and that goes a long way in my book. He has my respect for that. Another reason is continuity. Aside from the abysmal Suicide Squad, Snyder is pretty much in the driver’s seat for the whole DCEU. He directed Man of Steel, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; and is also slated for Justice League: Parts 1 & 2. So it only makes sense to let him remain in control, for the sake of the integrity of the film universe itself. Having a bunch of different directors work on a single series is just asking for trouble, both in continuity and in the dreaded “creative differences.” (Yes, it has mostly worked for Marvel, but the MCU is lightning in a bottle. Let’s not pretend that makes it a foolproof formula.) He’s already familiar with all the principal characters and their respective portrayers, so he isn’t going to go screwing with established canon or pissing off his stars. Finally, there’s his style, visually and tonally. He’s created a beautifully dark DCEU, and populated it with characters and stories who fit the narrative perfectly. Some may not care for the darkness he’s brought to the founders of the Justice League, but I would advise those people to read more comics. Batman is an incredibly dark character (they don’t call him The Dark Knight for nothing, you know), and Snyder’s unique vision for his films is perfect for the tragic tale of Bruce Wayne - even more so for this Bruce Wayne, the harder, more vengeful version he becomes after the death of Jason Todd. His world simply isn’t a light and happy place. Gotham City seems to live entirely by night (no pun intended), and this makes him a perfect fit.”
Warner Bros. and Ben Affleck are working together to find a director for The Batman. And there have been rumors that Affleck could bail on the entire DC movie universe. Warner Bros. has reportedly already cobbled together a shortlist, but the only name made public on that list has beenMatt Reeves, who directedCloverfieldandDawn of the Planet of the Apes, as well as this summer’sWar for the Planet of the Apes. If Zack Snyder’s name was on that shortlist, we’re pretty sure we would have heard about it. As of now, it doesn’t sound like Warner Bros. wants to let Zack Snyder anywhere near another DCEU movie. Perhaps this petition will change their minds.
